Deck lid prop



DECK LID PROP Filed Aug. 28, 1957 Zhwentor I I V ft ex C C/Zzco I (It tornegs Patented Sept. 13, 1938 2,130,185

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DECK LID PROP Rex 0. Jacobs, Detroit, Mich. Application August 28, 1937, Serial No. 161,395

3 Claims. (01. 217-40) The present invention relates to a prop designed comprises a metal rod having its two ends bent particularly for supporting the hingedly mounted perpendicular to the main portion thereof, one rear deck lid of an automobile in an open position. end being retained in a slot in a member carried The primary object of the invention is to proby the lid, and the other end having a tapered 5 vide a prop having means supporting one end head received in a tapered socket in a bracket thereof whereby it may swing about said end, and mounted upon a stationary part of the automobile means connecting the swinging end, slidably, with body. When the deck lid 2 is closed, as shown in the hingedly mounted rear deck lid of an auto- F gthe D p end 7 resides at the extreme right mobile whereby swinging movement of the prop hand end of the slot 5, as the device is shown in 10 takes place incident to opening and closing movethe drawing. As the lid 2 is manually oved from 10 ment of the lid. Associated with the prop pivot h p n wn n Fi 1 to h h wn in Fi is a friction creating means which, when the lid 2 the p p Swings about the axis 0f the head is open, exerts sufficient friction against movedue to ge e t 0f e end 1 with the wall of ment of the prop whereby the latter holds the lid the slot 5, until the end 1 resides at the extreme open left hand end of the slot 5. In this latter position, 15

In a prop of the character above referred to it the p p assumes an angle approXimately is essential that the friction creating means be so from a V al p a d i the absence of a constructed that it will continue to function even holding means, Will not pp he d. Accordin the presence of wear. Accordingly, it is ans the invention p v means f r h min other object of the invention to provide friction the Drop in the angular position Shown in 2 20 creating means embodying a tapered head and against the gravitational force tending to close tapered socket receiving and rotatably supporting the said head, resilient means being provided which ROt tiOH 0f the head M in the socket I3 is fricurges the head into the socket to induce friction tiehally resisted due t0 the action of a Spring through contact, under pressure, of the tapered which is compressed betweena retainer on the end 25 h d with th k t wall, I3 and the adjacent wall of the bracket H. The

With the above and other ends in view the spring draws the head [4 into the socket and by invention is more fully disclosed with reference to d g t e Sa e therein induces sufficient fricthe accompanying drawing, in which tion to overcome the gravitational forces acting Figure 1 is a fragmental vertical section of an n he pen lid. It has been found that an ordi- 30 automobile, illustrating the rear deck lid closed; a y rear d lid y be h open, ant a y Fig. 2 is a similar view, illustrating the deck lid at the angle shown n the drawing, by disposing open; and proportioning the parts whereby the prop Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of assumes an n l pp m y 15 when the lid 5 Fig, 1; is fully opened, using a taper of approximately Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. t -q t s of a h p r f t, and a com- 2, d paratively light spring l6.

Fig. 5 is a section of a detail. The invention has been shown and described as Like characters of reference are employed comprising a single unit, but it is contemplated throughout to designate corresponding parts. that two units such as here shown will be used on 40 The numeral l designates a fragment of an a single lid in some cases. An arrangement of automobile having a rear deck lid 2 connected two units is not here shown because it is believed thereto by a hinge 3. Secured beneath the lid 2 to be obvious to those skilled in the art that the is a rigid element 4 having a guide slot 5 therein device shown and described may be duplicated by and a prop 6 has one end bent at 1 and extending placing a unit at each of the tWO sides 0f the lid 2. 45 through the slot. A washer 8 is held on the end Although a specific embodiment of the inven- I by a pin 9a to retain it within the slot. tion has been illustrated and described it will be Secured to a reinforced part 9 of the automobile understood that various changes may be made body is a plate It] upon which a bracket H is within the scope of the appended claims without mounted. The plate I0 is preferably welded to departing from the spirit of the invention, and 50' the body part 9 and the bracket is secured to the such changes are contemplated. plate by bolts or rivets l2. The bracket I I has a What I claim is: tapered socket l3 receiving a tapered head l4 1. In combination with an automobile body formed on the bent portion l5 of the prop. having a hingedly mounted lid, a prop for holding It becomes apparent, therefore, that the prop said lid open, said prop comprising a bracket 55 mounted on a stationary portion of the body adjacent said lid, said bracket having a tapered socket therein, an arm, a tapered head in said socket supporting said arm for swinging movement thereabout, a member carried by said lid and having a guide slot therein, means on the swinging end of said arm slidably received in said guide slot whereby opening and closing movement of said lid causes swinging movement of said arm, and spring means urging said tapered head into said socket to induce friction opposing swinging movement of said arm.

2. In combination with an automobile body having a hingedly mounted lid, a prop for holding said lid open, said prop comprising a bracket mounted on a stationary portion of the body adjacent said lid, said bracket having a tapered socket therein, an arm having an angularly bent end, a tapered head integral with said end, said head being rotatably received in said socket and supporting said arm for swinging movement thereabout, a member carried by said lid and having a guide slot therein, means on the swinging end of said arm slidably received in said guide slot whereby opening and closing movement of said lid causes swinging movement of said arm, and spring means urging said tapered head into said socket to induce friction opposing swinging movement of said arm.

3. A device ofthe character described comprising a guide member adapted to be mounted on a movable member, a bracket adapted to be attached to a stationary member, an arm having its ends bent angularly to the main portion thereof, one of said bent ends slidably engaging said guide member, said bracket having a tapered socket, the other bent end having a tapered head received in said socket, and means maintaining the head in frictional contact with the socket.

REX C. JACOBS. 

